Daily Readings - Wed Dec 16 2020
Isaiah
6So may those who are from the rising of the sun, and those who are from its setting, know that there is no one beside me. I am the Lord, and there is no other7I form the light and create the darkness. I make peace and create disaster. I, the Lord, do all these things8Send down dew from above, O heavens, and let the clouds rain down upon the just! Let the earth open and spring forth a savior! And let justice rise up at once! I, the Lord, have created him18For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens, God himself who formed the earth and made it, the very Molder of it. He did not create it to no purpose. He formed it so that it would be inhabited. I am the Lord, and there is no other21Announce it, and approach, and consult together. Who has caused this to be heard from the beginning, and who has foretold it from that time? Is it not I, the Lord? And is there some other god beside me? I am a just God who saves, and there is no one except me22All ends of the earth, be converted to me, and you will be saved. For I am God, and there is no other23I have sworn by myself. The Word of justice will proceed from my mouth, and it will not turn back. For every knee shall bend to me, and every tongue shall swear it.24Therefore, he will say, "In the Lord are my justices and my dominion." They will go to him. And all who fight against him will be confounded25In the Lord, all the offspring of Israel will be justified and praised
Luke
19And John called two of his disciples, and he sent them to Jesus, saying, "Are you he who is to come, or should we wait for another?20But when the men had come to him, they said: "John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying: ‘Are you he who is to come, or should we wait for another?’ 21Now in that same hour, he cured many of their diseases and wounds and evil spirits; and to many of the blind, he gave sight22And responding, he said to them: "Go and report to John what you have heard and seen: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead rise again, the poor are evangelized23And blessed is anyone who has not taken offense at me.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter powerful reminders of God’s sovereignty and the call to trust in His plan. The first reading from Isaiah proclaims God’s uniqueness as the Creator of all things, who forms light and darkness, peace and woe. Isaiah emphasizes that God did not create the world in vain but for a purpose, and He alone is the just Savior. The prophet calls all ends of the earth to turn to God, promising salvation and justice for those who do so. This passage, written during the Babylonian exile, reassures the people of Israel that despite their current suffering, God remains in control and will fulfill His promises.
The Gospel reading from Luke presents a moment of doubt and questioning. John the Baptist, though a man of great faith, sends his disciples to Jesus with the question, “Are you he who is to come, or should we wait for another?” Jesus responds not with words of reassurance but with deeds. He heals the sick, gives sight to the blind, and preaches the Good News to the poor. By doing so, Jesus points to the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecies and confirms His identity as the Messiah. His final words, “Blessed is anyone who has not taken offense at me,” invite us to embrace faith even when doubts arise.
These readings remind us that faith is not about having all the answers but about trusting in God’s plan, even when the path is unclear. Like John’s disciples, we may sometimes question whether God is truly at work in our lives or in the world. Yet, Jesus calls us to look at the signs of His presence—the healing, the hope, and the love that surround us—and to trust in His goodness. In our daily lives, let us seek to recognize God’s hand at work, even in the midst of challenges, and to place our faith in Him, knowing that He is our just and merciful Savior.